Meet Me in Shanghai by Luca Domani

Author:Luca Domani [Domani, Luca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-64080-559-0
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2018-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

THE NEXT day, Jeff made his way around the city solo. It wasn’t nearly as fun and entertaining. Jeff walked through the French Concession, the European-style villas and apartments providing an interesting change in scenery from the rest of the city. He was sure Greg would have had plenty of facts to share about the different sites, but on his own Jeff took them in more organically. He had brought his guidebook, but he preferred to keep it in his pocket.

There were art galleries and bookstores, and Jeff entered and exited without buying anything. He passed by a market with live fish, frogs, and eels, the buckets of water teeming and splashing as the vendors called out their wares and the shoppers haggled. He bought a pastry and coffee at a French bakery. Despite the sunny day and the vibrant sights, Jeff was listless. Without Greg’s company, everything felt duller.

He took the metro to the People’s Square and walked through the large flat park with its carefully landscaped grass and flowers.

Greg had suggested he check out the Shanghai Museum, so he headed there. The museum was housed in an immense building that had a square base and a circular top; according to the guidebook, it resembled an ancient cooking pot. At the entrance, several lion statues stood sentry. At first it was interesting to see the different pieces of art from thousands of years ago. Soon the figurines, urns, scrolls and various other relics seemed to blur together. It would have been more fascinating with Greg as his guide. When he stopped by the gift shop, he saw a pair of slippers almost identical to the ones that Greg had helped him buy yesterday. Here they were priced at thirty dollars.

His next stop was the Bund, as the boulevard by the Huangpu River was named. The long column of European-style buildings flanked the wide promenade. Jeff enjoyed being near the open water. It felt less crowded here, with the water on one side.

Across the way, the city of Pudong’s iconic skyline beckoned. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower was front and center with its tall spire. It had the appearance of a rocket ship, with its tripod bottom, and the spherical structures at the top and base gave it a futuristic look. The view would be even more vibrant at night, when all the buildings were lit up. A few boats crawled along the river, including both passenger boats and industrial barges. The smell of diesel and the sea reached his nostrils. He snapped a few pictures, including a selfie with the Pearl Tower behind him. He almost texted it to Greg, typing in “wish you were here,” before deleting without sending.

He returned to Nanjing Lu and went to the nearby mall and ate dinner at the food court. His steps dragged as he made the short walk home. Perhaps he overdid the sightseeing today. The remnants of his cold still lingered, and he had forgotten to take another dose of the medicine.

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